Definition of catacomb
1 : a subterranean cemetery of galleries with recesses for tombs
—usually used in plural
2 : something resembling a catacomb: such as
a : an underground passageway or group of passageways
b : a complex set of interrelated things
the endless catacombs of formal education— Kingman Brewster †1988
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quizWords of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quizSpell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quizSCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share catacomb
Time Traveler for catacomb
The first known use of catacomb was in the 15th century
See more words from the same century